Gensokyo Ends With You
by Smashing.exe
Summary: Modern Gensokyo AU. Girls are doing their best and are now preparing to enter a dangerous trial. Please watch with anticipation as they fight the omnipresent Noise, survive the Reapers' wrath and attempt to beat the elusive Game.


_Lehman Brothers: An organization that filed for bankruptcy in September 15, 2008. The total value was over $600 billion in assets. It was at this point that the world discovered that a large portion of the world's finance and economy was, in fact, imaginary._

_And where would that wealth go? Why, towards the land of the forgotten and the illusive, of course._

* * *

She didn't like crowds.

"_Excuse me."_

It was always so annoying and boring to be stuck in them. She detested being caught in a mass of bodies, slowing her pace to an absolute crawl.

"_Please move out of the way."_

The year is 20XX. The location is a busy street crossing, nowhere in the world.

"_Coming through."_

The girl's eyes were shrouded by shadow as she kept her head down, her dirty brown hair drooping down her neck. Her clothes were bright red, lacking any real sleeves; a large bow of the same color was tied to the back of her head, and in her right hand she carried a long stick with strips of white cloth attached to the end. It was a gohei. Some people stopped and stared at her. No wonder; what sort of person dressed in such traditional clothes in this day and age?

She didn't care. This was how she dressed—what good were appearances when she had no intention of impressing anyone? Besides, it wasn't as if the city hadn't seen people like her before.

Gripping the rod tightly, an instinctive reflex, she walked along the road. She had places to be. Upon reaching the end of the pavement, she turned her gaze up ahead, towards the great Yakumo Department Center. A tengu woman, with the traditional pointy ears, black wings and wearing a white uniform, was standing near the entrance, excitedly chattering into a megaphone.

The girl in red brushed past the tengu woman, who instantly whipped out a set of flyers for the girl to examine. Something about a new store opening the department centre. Promotions would apparently be abundant, with singing and dancing and all sorts of fun activities at the event.

"_Sorry."_

The girl in white tossed the flyer into a nearby trash can, to which the tengu gasped. The girl apologized, looking over her shoulder at the tengu's indignant expression, but didn't stop moving.

"_My name is Hakurei Reimu. I live in the city of Gensokyo, and work as a miko of the Hakurei Shrine."_

Her feet took her to the proud district of HMX.

It was loud. Always loud, even at night. The front of the mall swarmed with the residents of the city: humans, oni, tengu, ghost folk, minor deities and more. They walked on every side of the road, forcing each of their conversations down her ears. Music blared from a set of slick loudspeakers, mixing with the hubbub of the crowd into a mass of cacophonies and rhythms.

Up, down. Left, right. The Music of Gensokyo invaded all corners, filled every nook, pounded day in day out.

Honestly, she wasn't a big fan of it.

"_Gensokyo is a land of fantasy and illusion, you know. A place where humans, youkai and gods co-exist in harmony; where those who have been forgotten seek sanctuary. A barrier separates it from the outside world. After all, it would be troublesome if reality and imagination mixed together."_

An acquaintance of the girl, a woman with hair as silver as the moon's light, smiled and waved at her. The girl raised her gohei in acknowledgement, the white cloth gently lapping in the wind, but did not break her stride.

"_For centuries, my family has been devoted to maintaining that barrier. We've done it for so long, everybody's named if after us. The Great Hakurei Barrier, they call it. I belong to the fiftieth generation of my family, and am currently the only Hakurei maiden in existence."_

It was hard to find true peace in the streets of Gensokyo. Dead silence was as foreign a concept as a mayonnaise downpour.

Oni Adores Hall was slightly less populated than AMX or the Yakumo Department Store. Then again, that was only because it wasn't at night, nor a holiday. Otherwise, the horned oni and other youkai would gather here and make a massive racket, drinking booze, shoving meals down their throat and whatnot. The place was overrun with arcades, fast food chains and karaoke boxes. Colors from all across the spectrum splashed across billboards and posters, proudly displaying the available events for all too see.

Whiterock Ices. YUGI Alcoholics. Moriya Donuts. The cold, the drunk and the greedy.

The girl's stomach couldn't help but rumble, like the yawn of the great deity Xingjun. When the last time anyone had donated more than 1000 yen? Day in day out, she ate ramen and pre-packaged meals, washing it all down with tap water. Her last real meal had been how many weeks ago? At least her legal guardian still had the courtesy to donate some food supplies—when she could be persuaded to get off her lazy backside, that is.

She fingered her wallet, tucked safely between the folds of her miko outfit. Coins and notes fell out into her open hand. She still had cash on her, enough for a single meal. Holding the money, she gazed upward at the towering signs above.

Should she…?

It really was hot today. Even though she had deliberately chosen the most loose-fitting outfit in her closet, her back and neck were still damp with sweat. By the gods, she could do with a drink, preferably sake. Or maybe even a nice lemon and strawberry mix ice-cream, sprinkled with chocolate bits. Something needed to go with it. A pineapple donut from Moriya would do…

Her eyes widened, drooped down and she shook her head.

No.

Her teeth clenched, slightly. She shoved her wallet back in her pocket and moved on, passing the fast food stores without a single glance. Her budget was already tighter than a corset. She couldn't afford to spend money on luxuries. Her rice box was nearly empty, and she had no vegetables left.

A real shame, she thought, as she disappeared into the masses. She hadn't treated herself to junk food in months.

"_As a miko, I run and take care of the local shrine. I receive donations, and search for work. I also have a duty to exterminate troublesome youkai. It's what my job description is."_

The air felt thick in Reimu's lungs. It was putrid, smelly and warm. She could never get used to the stench.

The walkway she was tracing curved upwards a shallow hill, paved with cracked concrete stairs and halved by a steel handrail, which was cold to her touch as ice. Jumping two at a time, she ascended upwards and met face to face with a massive wall of graffiti.

Welcome to the Yasaka Backstreets, south of the infamous Moriya shrine and by extension, Youkai Mountain.

"_Really though, not much happens. Incidents rarely happen in Gensokyo anymore. It's what happens when technology advances, regulations fall into place and everyone suddenly starts obeying laws. I heard that my ancestors used to fight youkai day in day out. I'm lucky if some idiot gets drunk and starts spamming danmaku bullets, once a year. Mind you, I've solved a few, but they've never been anything big."_

"_I'm not as famous as others are."_

Even in the polluted alleyways of northern Gensokyo, the walls were plastered with mural and posters, advertising everything from music records to street shows and anything in between. Oni, humans and all sorts of species flitted about, clothed in street gear, chattering like birds—loud, obnoxious ones.

She bought a couple of ofuda and paper tags at a nearby weapons dealer. A year ago, she had solved an incident in these backwater streets. Now, the residents thanked her by offering her discounts on their stock.

It was the only reason she bothered to come here.

"_I shouldn't be asking for this, what with being a miko and all, but I wouldn't mind a bit of excitement in my life. Something to break up the monotony of running the shrine and walking the streets looking for part-time work. Not something major, just something I can use my spell cards on." _

Her steps halted at the back of the alleyway, near a gigantic graffiti mural, depicting an epic space battle between the youkai and tentacled aliens. _UFO_, the title read.

Classy.

Reimu had to admit, for a piece of street art, the creator certainly had put a lot of work into it. Every line had been carefully drawn, every patch had been colored to perfectly contrast with each other. There was a certain beauty to it, rough yet simultaneously refined

"_But honestly though…"_

Everything in this ward of Gensokyo was a mixture of browns, stale greens and greys. The shining red and white colors of her outfit, along with her single blue ribbon, made her stand out from the crowd; a conspicuous target.

And yet, she found herself alone. The noise of the crowd built a wall around her, the heavy beats drowning out her soul.

"_It's probably never going to happen."_

* * *

"_Gensokyo is a city of conflict; a clash of creeds that goes on with every second. If you want to feel the bustle of the city, stand on any street corner. If you want to feel its heart, head towards the Scramble Crossing. It's a real mess there, but that's what gives it its charm."_

—_Shameimaru Aya, reporter for the Bunbunmaru Newspaper_

The lights turned red. The little man turned green. That was the signal to open the dam, and let the water rush out.

People rushed across the tarmac, making calls, chatting to friends, asking for directions—everyone was so immersed in their own activities, it would take several seconds after the red man had been shown before any vehicles could continue.

Individually, their voices were indistinguishable. But the intensity of the hubbub was enough to wake a certain miko.

Her eyes opened, revealing a pair of dull brown orbs, and she first thing she registered was a veritable of ocean of feet, varying in size.

"Oof…"

Pain hammered into her head, as if a bulky construction worker was banging nine-inch nails into her poor skull. She groaned, coughed and climbed to her feet. The pain disappeared as quickly as it had arrived. All that was left was confusion—where, why and what circumstances had transpired to bring her here?

Through weary eyes, she scanned the crowd surrounding her. Gensokyo hadn't been reduced into a pile of rubble yet. The buildings were still there, along with the same people, the same din and the same streets.

Nothing was out of the ordinary, as far as she could tell.

Yet, no-one had appeared to notice her moment of unconsciousness, and nobody had appeared to care. You'd think a young girl lying on the side of the road would be something of interest but no, apparently not. Why hadn't anybody tried to use their feet and turn her head into a scrambled mess of blood and flesh, anyway?

Then again, she mulled, this probably suited her. Otherwise, some very awkward questions might be asked. And she definitely didn't want to get involved with the police.

She looked down at herself. Hakama, skirt, haori and detached sleeves. Her gohei lay on the ground, a few feet away from her. In her haste to pick it up before it fell into the dirty hands of thieves, she dimly registered her ofuda, cell phone and wallet were still with her.

_Nothing has happened, _she thought, as she scraped dust off the rod, _To my clothes and possessions, at least. Then how did I get here? What was I last doing?_

She stared at the masses of people in front of her. Humans, oni, youkai and spiritual beings…all going about on their lives, mouthing about who knows what. The Scramble Crossing was continuously full of these types of people, day in day out. If you tripped on the sidewalk, you left yourself open to a boot up the rear, or in the very worst case a car accident.

_I know that old hag said that I am well connected to others, but at the same time alone in the crowd, _Reimu muttered internally, _But this takes it to a whole new level. _When she realized that nobody noticed her presence, it seemed that was literally what was was as if the crowd did not realize Reimu existed. They just slipped by her, passed around her, talking, checking their phones, eating street food and whatnot.

The miko didn't want to admit it, but this was starting to become unsettling.

"What to do…" she said, shoving her hands in her pockets, fingers curling around her phone. And suddenly, her eyes widened.

_What's this?_

It was a black pin, adorned with the pattern of an ivory-white skull. Reimu gripped it with her index finger and thumb, holding it up to her eyes. She had seen others wear pins before, mostly as a fashion statement. However, those ones had been designed to match the brands and big names of Gensokyo: Yakumo, Inaba, Scarlet Devil and more. A parasol, rabbit ears and vampire wings, respectively.

This one was completely unfamiliar. Of all the time she had spent wandering around the streets of the city, eyeing posters and billboards with distate, observing the trends of the people and how they gushed about it, never before she had seen a pattern like this.

_And it's mine. _She thought, a small smirk grew on her face. _It's not every day I receive free stuff._

_But why do I have it? _Her smile dropped, _Is it the reason for why I'm here? Wonder if there's a connection._

She tossed it up in the air and caught it—looking back, she would realize that she had no reason for doing so—and instantly the world around her shifted.

"…_hahaha, that's my girl!"_

"…_gotta return those CDs today. Otherwise, I'm boned…"_

"…_the Grand Mistress of Tin Pin? She actually exists…"_

"What?" Reimu cried. "I can hear voices in my head!" Augmented, broken words and sounds battered into her head, screaming and swamping her eardrums.

And just as suddenly, they were gone.

Breathing deeply, the poor miko placed a hand on her chest and attempted to regain her composure.

_What had just happened? _she thought, her cheeks flushed. She looked down at the pin. It lay in her open palm, unmoving and innocent. Her lips curled downwards.

_Did the pin do this? Maybe I should try it out again…though that might be the best idea. Still, what else can I do? _Closing her eyes, she clenched the pin in her fist and waited for the fireworks.

"**Man, that Moriya wind priestess is pretty damn hot," the oni with one horn muttered, as he stared at his cellphone, "Too bad her job is literally driving people like me away…"**

"**Did you hear? The Prismriver Sisters are putting on a show tomorrow! It's going to sooo epic!" The trio of schoolgirls giggled like maniacs, the wide smiles evident on their youthful faces…**

"**To hell with it! I can't get any mobile reception here. The moment I get home, I am throwing this damn thing in the trash!" Disgusted, the ghost man in the black suit scowled and stormed off, not knowing that he had accidentally set his cell phone to offline mode…**

"Gah!" Reimu snarled, clutching her head, _Yeah…those are definitely the voices of others. And it's because of this pin. Just what exactly is this thing? _She asked, as she dropped the pin into her pocket. _Whatever it is, it's probably going to cause an incident…_

Before she could think further, a mobile beeped. "Huh? Whose phone?" She turned her head, no-one was responding as usual. Shrugging, she muttered, "Must be mine."

She flipped it open and selected 'Messages.'

_Reach the Hakurei Shrine. You have 120 minutes. _

_Fail, and face erasure._

—_The Reapers_

"Is this telling me to go home?" Slowly but surely, Reimu's expression descended into one of distate, and she rolled her eyes. She dismissed it with a wry smirk. _Cute. One minute I'm reading people's thoughts, and now I get junk mail on my phone. Well, whatever. Goodbye, spam._

Without another word, she pressed 'Delete'…only to find that nothing registered. She repeatedly tapped her phone again, with no success.

"Weird, this shouldn't be happening." Reimu said, "Maybe it's a—"

Without warning, sharp pains streaked across her right hand, causing her to yelp and nearly drop her cell phone. She glanced at her hand, and promptly gasped.

Across it, written in arcane black numbers outline in thick red ink, was a countdown timer.

_120:00_

_119:59_

_119:58_

_What is this? _Reimu thought, gazing at her hand in shock. She rubbed her hands together in an effort to rid herself of the timer. She tried a few times, and bore no fruit. She groaned.

_The junk mail from Makai, indeed. Could this get any worse?_

The harsh crackle of static drew her attention over her shoulder. Her jaw dropped. There, displayed on the 401 Building billboard in a shade close to blood, was a single message: **YOU HAVE SEVEN DAYS, HAKUREI MIKO.**

_It…is it addressing me?_

That wasn't the bad part. From the sky, several crimson and pitch black symbols descended, of images of skulls and claws and everything nasty in the world. Reimu gulped, and her hands tightened around the gohei. This did not bode well.

The symbols crackled and fizzed, and several green, smooth-skinned amphibians forced their way out. Reimu, through panicked eyes, noticed that they were massive; larger than a fully grown cat, but the strangest part was their spindly hind legs. They looked like graffiti tags, wiry and thin, yet somehow strong enough to support their body mass.

"An incident?" Reimu cried, drawing a few ofuda from her pocket. _I don't know what these things are, but they can't be good! _

No sooner had the amphibians landed on the tarmac, one launched itself at Reimu. She gritted her teeth and fired the ofuda, sending out waves of spiritual energy spiralling towards the amphibian.

Under normal circumstances, the amphibian should have been sent flying, preferably beaned on a lamppost. Reimu had packed enough energy in her attack to crack concrete. It was probably several degrees of overkill, but these were unknown beings she was dealing with.

Yet, the amphibian shrugged off the ofuda like it was nothing, surging forward and hitting Reimu in the stomach. She fell, the wind smashed out of her.

"Ugh!" Scrambling to her feet, she raised her gohei to bash the amphibian over the skull, only to be knocked back down from a second amphibian from behind.

_What the…I can't hit them! What sort of youkai are they? _She thought as she rapidly pulled herself back up. She dimly registered that blood dripped down her from her nose. Several more amphibians joined the group, surrounding her in a tight circle. "D-down, froggie."

Another hurtled into her with painful strength. It felt like a sledgehammer had struck her arm. "Urgh…what's going on!" Reimu yelled. Her rod, her ofuda and her spells…nothing worked. Sweating, she looked at the crowd around her, "Hey, somebody help! Don't ignore me!"

No-one responded. No-one even looked at her. Reimu tried to reach out to a passing human's arm, only to be slapped down by an amphibian.

The shrine maiden was a lot of things. Carefree, lazy, guileless and talented were some of the adjectives others had tacked her with. She knew how to brush a courtyard in less than twenty minutes, wield ofuda to blow a man back fifty paces and survive on just boiled rice and water alone. She had been blasted by danmaku bullets, punched in the stomach, thrown off trees and trapped in seals—all of which occurred during her training.

Yes, the Hakurei maiden was a lot of things.

But she definitely was not a coward.

And yet, she found herself powerless, backing away from a group of enemies that by rights she should have vaporized in seconds. No strength, no defense, no salvation. A primal instinct rose up inside of her, every inch of her body screaming at her, convulsing into a hideous maelstrom of fear and terror and…

She turned tail, and ran.

...

.

_(twister)_

* * *

**A/N: And so begins my first ever Touhou fanfiction. If there is anything wrong with the characterization, or constructive criticism you want to make, feel free to tell me.**

**Note that this is not just a simple adaption of The World Ends With You with Touhou characters. Curveballs will be thrown…**

**This is also heavily based on the works of doujin artist gensoukoumuten, who depicted what Gensokyo would be like if it was set in modern times. I wanted to expand on that, with my own little twist. Check his stuff on Danbooru if you get the chance. I recommend you install Adblock first, though.**

**Please review if you can!**


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